Thanks, Wurzel - yes, not much more to actually come out, but plenty of interest to come: I have several targets still to achieve this year
Thanks to you too, Neil - I plan several more trips to Aston Rowant if I can, hopefully when it's a bit less hot! It seemed very odd with not a single Brown Argus to be seen!
On
18th July, I had to drive past Aston Rowant (which looks unremarkable from the M40) on my way to Cherwell Valley services to pick up no.2 son William. The meadow are round the back has met with mixed fortunes in the last fortnight, with the portion to the right next to the big radio mast being mown flat. The portion to the left remains untouched so far, and remains full of butterfly life: both Small and Essex Skippers, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Small Tortoiseshells, Small and Green-veined Whites and one or two Marbled Whites hanging on.
- Small Skipper (I think!)
19th July: It was still raining a little when I set off with all the boys down to Box Hill, but the temperature was nudging 25 degrees. Down there it was bright, with a bit of sun pushing through, which made the butterflies at least a little sluggish. The first thing we saw along the path from the visitor centre was a Holly Blue taking salts from the path - I have seen this a lot lately.
On the viewpoint slopes, we saw Small/Essex Skippers, Chalkhill Blues, Gatekeepers, a couple of Dark Green Fritillaries (very pale and probably females), and around a dozen Silver-spotted Skippers.
- Essex Skipper (definitely!)
- Silver-spotted Skipper
The sun came out properly and it became almost pointless trying to follow anything. We wandered round to Burford Spur, encountering a few Speckled Woods, Red Admirals and even a Ringlet in the shady parts. Emerging into the sun again, I spotted both male and female Large Skippers, dozens of Small and Essex Skippers, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and quite a few Marbled Whites.
- Male Large Skipper
- Female Large Skipper
- Small Skipper (I think!)
Several more Dark Green Fritillaries were active across the slopes - again very pale and worn.
As part of a plan to avoid the M25 for the return trip, we popped into Denbies, indulging in the obligatory ice cream of course. Once again there were a lot of Skippers about, but I only glimpsed one Silver-spotted whirring past. There were still reasonable numbers of Marbled Whites, and the Chalkhills are building up nicely. It was by now really hot again, so it was time for drinks and the roundabout way home.
- lunch for a crab spider
- unsavoury lunch for three Chalkhills
I had to have a quick look at my local patch at the end of the afternoon - lots of Commas, Red Admirals, Speckled Woods and Gatekeepers, assorted Whites, and several Common Blues.
In amongst the latter group was a single silvery blur, which stopped just long enough to identify as a Brown Argus. This one, however (which was a suspect briefly) is a female Common Blue.
- Female Common Blue
Dave